Villen’s United by Chris Haskell

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries and letters to the Editor of The Somerville Times belong solely to the authors and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville Times, its staff or publishers)

Imagine someone gave a former 70’s porn star his own variety hour/game show where laughs were had, tears were shed, and life lessons were learned and you may start to get an idea of what Old School Game Show is all about.

The brainchild of self proclaimed “pervert with a heart of gold” Mike D’Angelo; Old School Game Show is a strange amalgam of Sonny & Cher’s Variety Hour, Richard Dawson’s Family Feud, and Piper’s Pit.

Part game show, part live theater experience, Old School Game Show at The Davis Square Theatre in Somerville.~Photo by Ben Gedo.

The alt variety trivia show has been a staple of the Davis Square Theatre for the last 3 years and has begun to develop a cult-like following. Fans of the local comedy scene have embraced the silly, naughty (yet non-offensive) interactive fun of OSGS and regulars often come dressed in costumes matching the show’s theme of the night. Host Mike D’Angelo invites several contestants throughout the night to come up to the podium to join in the madness and answer pop culture trivia questions for the chance to win prizes donated by local businesses. Regardless of being chosen to be a contestant or not, everybody leaves this show a winner just for having experienced it.

Fond memories of watching syndicated daytime television with his grandmother and his obsession with the music and pop culture of his childhood are what fuels D’Angelo’s twisted sense of humor, and are often the rotating themes of the monthly show. Whether it be classic pro-wrestling, 80’s hair metal, or a John Hughes-a-palooza prom night, each show artfully parodies a particular theme of “Old School” pop culture. The cast and crew enjoy working on fresh new themes that often include photo shoots and video shorts for particular shows. Hip retro poster art heralds each coming show such as Get to the Chopper, Panty Dropper and Stylin’, Profiling, & Piledriving Steel Cage Smacktacular.

The hilarious themes and costumes are only enhanced by the crazy enthusiasm brought by the cast of local comedians, musicians, and burlesque dancers that make up the Old School Game Show family. Host Mike D’Angelo credits the success of OSGS to the great creative team they’ve developed over the years and finds working with such amazing talent a reward in itself. The vocal talents of Will Smalley, the goofy humor of Megan Ward, and the dance moves of exec producer Ginny Nightshade are all a part of the recipe for the show’s success; as are the musical numbers played by the house band or other visiting performers. The chemistry between the cast is electric and their love for the show is visibly obvious in their performances.

What once started as a fun game played at friends’ birthday parties has now become the most unique interactive comedy show in the Boston area. If you haven’t seen the show yet you are seriously missing out on one hell of a good time. The small Davis Square Theatre, although intimate, won’t be able to hold a show this big for much longer. Creator Mike D’Angelo is happy with the current success of the show, but ultimately to be able to perform Old School Game Show on television would be his dream come true. In the meantime, Ginny, Mike and the rest of the OSGS cast are hard at work thinking up new shows to tickle your funny bone and charm the pants off you.

Old School Game Show at The Davis Square Theatre in Somerville. Tickets range from $15- $25. Be sure to check out oldschoolgameshow.com for videos and future show dates or you can follow the Old School Game Show fan page on Facebook. And don’t forget to join in the fun and come in costume!